Run
by zebraboymom
Summary: Steve and Kono are on the run. One night can change a lot. Steve/Kono one-shot.


Run

Zebraboymom

Disclaimer: They are not mine.

Author Notes: Kono and Steve are on the run. Just a one shot that was niggling at me. Parts are a little OOC, but hey, it's fluff. I'll be back writing on Payback tomorrow. I'm asking for forgiveness ahead of time from any Hawaiians reading. I know Oahu doesn't have a lot of waterfalls, so please let me have some artistic license here. I really wanted the waterfall scene in my story.

Steve had never run so fast in his life. Kono was keeping pace with him and he knew she would continue to. They often ran together as much as five miles on a Saturday. This time it was different. They were running for their lives. Steve caught Kono's hand and pulled her due east as he changed course once again. He held her hand for a few strides, but dropped it as they made better time that way. The shrubs and vegetation pulled at their arms and legs, but they continued to push further into the obscurity it would afford them.

Steve and Kono had been set for a meet with some arms dealers when they discovered they had been made. Chin, Danny and Lori had been listening in on the meet ready to jump in, but the dealers had scrambled the signal and because Kono and Steve were unarmed, they had been able to put them in the back of a military truck and disappear into the forest reserves near the north shore. The two of them had managed to work together to untie the ropes and at some point they jumped into the bushes on the side of the road as the truck slowed to avoid a huge hole in the road. They had no idea where they were and they were sure the rest of the team still thought they were back in the warehouse. Not knowing how far the truck would go before it stopped and they discovered the two were gone, they pressed themselves to get as far away as possible.

They came to where a small waterfall poured down to the valley below and Steve leaped across the gap to the other side without even thinking about it. Kono was taken by surprise and pulled up short, just missing plunging into the cascading water. She looked up at Steve as her eyes went wide for a second.

Steve held his hand out and yelled for Kono to jump. She actually grinned at him and doubled back a few steps. She took two large rocks in the same number of bounds before she launched herself across the divide. He shook his head at her fearlessness. He really liked this woman.

As she caught the edge of the ledge, Steve caught her in his arms and pulled her close for a second. They were both breathing hard and he loved the way Kono looked as she grinned up at him through her tousled hair.

"Nice jump Kalakaua."

"Not too shabby yourself there Commander."

They released each other heading down the slope towards some more open pastures. They had been on the north shore and he recognized Ko'olau Mountain Range, so his best guess was that they were either in the Papukea-Paulamu Forest Reserve or maybe near one of a couple of ranches: Gunstock Ranch or Happy Trails Ranch. Both Gunstock and Happy Trails were working cattle ranches, but also catered to the tourist trade with horseback riding on the many trails. He hoped that's where they were. It would be easy to make contact with people.

Steve and Kono had dumped their cells in the truck to avoid being tracked which also meant the team couldn't track them either, but they could track the dealers and get a general location of where to start looking for them. Steve knew it had been hours and they were getting further and deeper into the lush terrain.

Judging by the placement of the sun it was going to be dark in a very short time. They needed to find someplace to crash and walk out during the day tomorrow. They could find one of the trails in the morning and follow it to the main horseback riding facility to phone Danny. The dealers would have given up by now. They would be long gone unless Five-0 found them. Steve wanted to kick himself for letting them get away, but he was more relieved that Kono was okay, so it had been a good day and who knows, maybe the team could catch them."

"Start looking for some place to crash."

Kono nodded her head and they slowed their pace as they searched the area around them. Ten minutes later as they walked in twilight Steve realized he had been right about it being one of the ranches. They came upon a hay barn that was still in use although it looked to be pretty old it had fresh hay in it. Perfect.

"May I show you to your room Officer Kono?"

He swept his arm in a grand gesture as the barn door screeched open on its hinges.

"Why thank you Steeeeeven."

Kono stretched his name out and they both laughed. It would be a pretty comfortable place to sleep, even though Steve had hoped for a saddle blanket or two to throw on the hay. No such luck. He found one threadbare excuse for a blanket hanging on a nail. Oh well, he had slept under much worse conditions. He wasn't sure about Kono though. She seemed more like a sleep in the sand kind of girl.

Steve busted open a few bales and kicked the hay around making a nice little mattress for them inside a horseshoe shaped opening in the stacks of bales. It would hide them from anyone entering at first and give them time just in case the wrong people found them. He'd have to apologize to the ranch owner later. They spread the small blanket out, settled down in the hay and faced each other, propping their heads on their hands. Neither one knew what to say until Steve's stomach rumbled.

Their laughter echoed in the high ceiling of the barn.

"I promise you a huge breakfast in the morning, my treat."

Kono grinned in the dark.

"Loco moco?"

Steve wondered for a minute where this slip of a woman put all that food.

"Yes. Loco moco."

"Now you've got yourself a deal there."

She never ceased to amaze him. She ate like a football player and she had mad ninja skills, taking down guys twice her size. What he said next suddenly tumbled out of his mouth without thinking.

"What makes you such a tough guy Kono?"

"Huh?"

"You. I know you're soft hearted. I've seen you with the victims, but the way you go at it when you collar somebody scares me sometimes."

"How so?"

"Well, to be honest it reminds me of myself and that's not a good thing."

"Really? And why do you "go at it" all the time like you do Steve? I wonder too when I watch you sometimes."

"Well, your boss always thinks he has something to prove and as for Steve…don't tell anybody but he has anger management issues. If he keeps running, he thinks he won't have to deal with them."

"We aren't running now."

"No."

"So stop talking in the third person and tell me why you're running from yourself. I'm listening."

This conversation had gotten too deep and too personal too fast.

"Oh, clever girl. Twist it around and focus on me. I'm on to you Officer Kalakaua. Nice try. Okay. Tell me something "Kick Ass Kono" wouldn't want me to know about her."

"Steve…I can't."

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Then you have to go first. Tell me something "Navy SEAL Steve" wouldn't want me to know about him."

"Okay. I will."

It was so quiet in the barn you could hear the frogs.

"Steve?"

"I'm thinking."

"Uh-huh. It's just me Steve."

"I know. That's what makes it so hard."

"Why? We've always been able to talk about stuff, even when things went sideways after we were arrested. I thought we'd worked through all that and had gotten back to our Ohana."

"We have Kono. I promise. It's just…if I share this everything changes no matter how it goes."

"I can't imagine what it is, but believe me when I say no matter what you say, I will always have your back. I take Ohana seriously."

"I know."

"So spill it."

"You know this was supposed to be about you opening up."

"I will. Now tell me."

"I…uh…like you."

"I like you too Steve, but that isn't exactly earth shattering news."

"You don't get it. I like, like you."

Kono looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Kono, I'm trying to tell you that I have feelings for you and they aren't exactly of the family variety."

Kono could feel her heart rate speed up. If Steve could see her face in the dark he would smile at the huge blush creeping up her face. She froze when he lifted his hand up and caressed her cheek. Was she dreaming? This did not seem real.

"Say something Kono. I'm dying here."

"Okay. Wow! That was definitely revealing. My turn. I…uh happen to like, like you too."

"Okay, does this feel weird? It's like we're fifteen."

"My butterflies are definitely of the teenage variety."

"When we get out of this, would you let me take you out?" 

"You mean a date?"

"I mean a date. I want to really get to know you. I want to know all about you. I want you to know me. I've been feeling this way for a while Kono."

"Okay. I guess we're going out then, but nothing lame. How about surfing together and a shaved ice?"

"And dinner afterwards at my place. I'll cook steaks."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Correction Miss Kalakaua. Like, liked. Right?"

Kono's voice wavered slightly as she answered.

"Right."

Steve's lips quirked up into that cute smirk he got when he was amused. After a short staring contest he reached to pull her closer.

"It's supposed to get down in the fifties tonight. If we share body heat, we'll both sleep better."

Kono considered it for a few moments. She trusted him and there wasn't any place she'd rather be tonight than in his arms. Steve pulled his outer shirt open and spread his arms for her as she slipped her arms inside and around his torso resting her head on his huge bicep. Steve's hand came up unconsciously and he smoothed her hair out. It felt like a silk scarf sliding through his fingers.

Kono looked up as she felt him pull her closer. His eyes went to her lips and she sighed as she lifted her face to his.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be the least bit cold tonight."

Steve's lips kept her from saying anything else.


End file.
